At a look
Professional’s Score
Professionals
- 15 top-end ports, together with 4 Thunderbolt 5
- 2.5Gb Ethernet
- Iconic case
- 240W Energy Supply
Cons
- Nonetheless not essentially the most inexpensive
Our Verdict
The CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 dock brings a high-power, top-notch set of ports in a kind you’ll be able to belief to maintain up with the most recent units you would possibly wish to hook up with your MacBook.
Value When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Greatest Pricing In the present day
Value When Reviewed
$399.99
Greatest Costs In the present day: CalDigit TS5 Thunderbolt 5 Dock
$399.95
The CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 5 (TS5) is a bridge between the Olympian 20-port CalDigit TS5 Plus and the most recent docking stations for mere mortals.
When you want the last word in MacBook docking stations, the CalDigit TS5 Plus has nearly every little thing you want—certainly most likely greater than you want. The plain TS5’s 15 ports must be sufficient for any however the extra excessive pro-level customers. The query is: are the TS5’s 15 ports the appropriate combination on the proper value for you?
Specs and options
- One upstream Thunderbolt 5 port (80Gbps, 140W)
- Three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports (80Gbps, 36W)
- One USB-C port (10Gbps, 20W)
- Two USB-C ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
- One USB-A port (10Gbps, 7.5W)
- One USB-A port (480MBps, 7.5W)
- Ethernet (2.5Gb)
- UHS-II SD card reader (312MBps)
- UHS-II microSD card reader (312MBps)
- 3.5mm combo audio jack (entrance)
- Two 3.5mm In/Out audio jacks (again)
- 240W energy provide
CalDigit
All of the ports are clearly labeled, which is appreciated.
That’s an ideal line-up of ports, even in comparison with its mighty 20-port TS5 Plus sibling. Certainly, the TS5 truly gives yet another downstream Thunderbolt 5 port than the TS5 Plus, which sacrificed one in every of its TB5 ports for a DisplayPort.
The TS5’s lack of such a devoted video port shouldn’t fear you. Any of the three downstream TB5 ports can be utilized to hook up with a monitor. If the monitor helps a direct USB-C connection, then no adapter is required. If not, you’ll want a USB-C to DisplayPort or USB-C to HDMI adapter for the show connection.
Thunderbolt 5 doubles Thunderbolt 4’s knowledge speeds from 40Gbps to bi-directional 80Gbps and as much as 120Gbps in enhance mode for larger show unidirectional bandwidth, leading to considerably sooner knowledge transfers between units and your Mac.
If it’s essential join excessive efficiency SSDs or RAID units Thunderbolt 5 rewards you with a PCIe efficiency that’s doubled to 64Gbps PCIe 4.0, and the dock helps switch speeds as much as 6,200MBps.
Simon Jary
The three USB-C ports are welcome, and the one on the entrance is rated at 20W, permitting for quick iPhone or iPad charging. Being one thing of a show-off the TS5 Plus boasted a 36W front-mounted USB-C port for even sooner charging however 20W (simply) exceeds Apple’s minimal 18W for quick iPhone charging. Now we’ve 25W wi-fi charging it’s most likely time for wired ports to supply that bit extra.
The larger TS5 Plus is armed with 5 USB-A ports, which we discover extreme on condition that it’s aimed toward professionals who absolutely would have ditched that annoying legacy port by now, though we acknowledge that some system makers stick with the non-reversible USB-A normal and it’s extra frequent for moveable reminiscence sticks.
The TS5 dock trims the variety of USB-A down to 2, which we expect is sufficient for any dock. One is rated at 10Gbps for knowledge switch and one other for simply 480MBps however each can output as much as 7.5W to related units. The slower Kind-A port can’t provide energy when the dock is disconnected from the laptop computer, however the 10Gbps port and all the opposite power-giving ports do help offline charging.
Simon Jary
Compact energy station
Thunderbolt 5 has a required larger energy supply (to a related laptop computer) of a minimum of 140W (up from TB4’s minimal 100W) with help for as much as 240W (vs TB4’s max 140W). The TS5 can due to this fact energy a related laptop computer at as much as 140W, sufficient to fast-charge a top-end 16-inch MacBook Professional. To attain this, be sure you use the included 1m TB5 cable that may deal with such energy.
The TS5 Plus comes outfitted with a super-generous 330W energy provide, however the TS5’s 240W max must be sufficient for the ports which may require it: 1x 140W TB5, 3x 15W TB5, 1x 20W USB-C, and 5x 7.5W USB. That provides as much as 242.5W and the dock would require some juice itself, but it surely’s loads of energy available. Most different docks max out at 180W and due to this fact add the danger that the all-important wattage going into the laptop computer would possibly sometimes fluctuate to accommodate different hungry units when over-loaded.
One cause that the TS5 Plus wants a lot extra energy is the truth that its two downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports can every output as much as 36W of energy in comparison with the TS%’s three downstream ports sticking with the regulation 15W most output.
Simon Jary
Video choices
High of laptop computer customers’ docking station priorities is connecting to at least one or most likely two exterior shows with out utilizing up all of the MacBook’s personal ports.
The place CalDigit sacrificed the third downstream Thunderbolt port for a top-end DisplayPort 2.1 video connection on the TS5 Plus, there’s no such devoted video port on the plain TS5 so it’s essential use a number of of the three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports for this goal—probably with a DisplayPort or HDMI adapter if the monitor calls for one. The non-Thunderbolt USB-C ports of the TS5 received’t work as connectors to screens.
Thunderbolt relies on DisplayPort so can deal with superior refresh charges to HDMI that’s pegged again at a most 75Hz.
Mac customers on base M4, M1/M2/M3/M4 Professional, M1/M2/M3/M4 Max and M1/M2/M3 Extremely processors can natively join as much as two shows. Relying on the show capabilities of your MacBook, the utmost decision is 8K at a 60Hz refresh price (on an M4 Max), with a attainable refresh price of 240Hz for 4K or 500Hz for 1080p HD on all others. As talked about, the above resolutions will rely on the host pc’s capabilities. For instance, twin 8K 60Hz is just suitable on the M4 Max MacBook Professional proper now.
With the TS5’s TB5 ports Mac customers can join as much as two exterior 4K shows at 240Hz. Home windows customers are extra blessed right here on account of that working system’s use of Multi-Stream Transport (MST) that allows as much as three shows on supported host computer systems.
(Base M1/M2/M3 primarily based Macs are restricted to only one exterior monitor on account of Apple’s personal imposed Thunderbolt limitations. To get round this limitation you want a specialised DisplayLink dock, and the TS5 doesn’t help this—see methods to join multiple monitor to an M1/M2 Mac for extra particulars.)
Mac customers after three or extra shows will once more want to contemplate a high-end DisplayLink dock such because the Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station (TBT-6950PD) or Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink.
CalDigit
In case you are hooking the dock as much as an iPad Professional you’ll be capable of run a 6K show at 60Hz. And iPhone 15/16/17 will help a 4K 60Hz show through the TS5. See the chart above for all of the configurations for Mac, iPad and iPhone, and even Home windows when you should.
Simon Jary
Storage
Some docking stations—such because the Sonnet Echo 13 Dock—handle the MacBook’s costly inner storage by together with SSD storage built-in into the dock itself that’s operated like a really quick exterior disk drive.
Neither the TS5 nor the TS5 Plus gives a built-in SSD however each do provide each SD and microSD card readers on the entrance so that you can slip out and in your personal moveable storage playing cards.
That is a cheap approach of boosting MacBook storage. On the time of writing a 1TB microSD card was priced at underneath $100, though that was a 160MBps UHS-I pace card and the TS5’s readers help as much as 312MBps UHS-II. That’s sooner than the 250MBps SDXC card slot constructed into Apple’s present MacBook Professional.
A sooner UHS-II SD card of 1TB capability will value about $200, which remains to be significantly cheaper than what Apple prices you for inner storage on the level of buy.
Simon Jary
Community speeds
Most dwelling and workplace networks are nonetheless rated at the usual 1Gb (Gigabit) Ethernet, however extra trendy networks are a lot sooner at 2.5Gb, 5Gb and even 10Gb speeds.
Latest professional docks embrace a 2.5 gigabit Ethernet (2.5GbE) port as the brand new base, and the CalDigit TS5 joins them at this speedier Ethernet commonplace. 2.5GbE is backwards suitable all the best way again to Gigabit Ethernet. The brawnier TS5 Plus goes all the best way to 10GbE.
Simon Jary
Design
The CalDigit TS5 sticks with the tried and trusted iconic aluminum chassis with vented sides and high that has been a favourite for over a decade beginning with the corporate’s TS3 and carried on by the TS4.
Its vertical or horizontal format bucks the development of most laptop computer docking stations that sit both in some way. We desire to maintain the TS5 vertical so that each a type of heat-dissipating vents might help hold the dock’s innards cool. CalDigit doesn’t embrace a fan as some customers—particularly in inventive studios—demand complete silence from their units.
CalDigit consists of two rubber ft strips when you do wish to lay it flat on the desk, so the dock is raised to permit some cooling to happen on all sides.
Standing vertically, it measures 5.55 inches (14.1cm) excessive, 4.46 inches (11.3cm) deep, and 1.65 inches (4.2cm) extensive. It weighs 1.41lbs (0.64kg).
This compares to its 20-port bruiser sibling that packs extra punches however nonetheless measures a fairly diminutive 6.1 x 5 x 1.85 inches (15.5 x 12.8 x 4.7cm) extensive and weighs in at 2lbs (0.9kg).
The ports placements are effectively thought-about. The upstream Thunderbolt 5 port that connects to your laptop computer is away on the again, holding cable mess out of sight. The 2 card readers in addition to two USB-C ports (together with one rated at 20W USB-C) and one of many dock’s three audio ports are inside straightforward attain up entrance.
The opposite two audio ports, one In and one Out, are in the back of the dock, as is a safety slot on the far finish.
As with all CalDigit docks and hubs there’s no On/Off energy button on the TS5. The dock may not allow you to determine when and the place energy is delivered however relaxation assured that the dock provides energy when required and none if not.
Simon Jary
CalDigit TS5 or TS5 Plus
For an additional $100/£70 you may purchase the marginally bigger and extra multi-ported CalDigit TS5 Plus. For that, as detailed above, you get extra USB-A ports, which is likely to be overkill, however the further two USB-C ports will likely be helpful. The Plus gives a good step up by way of the 10Gb Ethernet and 36W of energy not simply from the entrance USB-C port however from every of the Thunderbolt 5 ports too—in addition to 330W of most energy. The facility to your laptop computer is identical at 140W however the skill to cost extra units will be the nudge you want for the improve.
The Plus received’t run extra screens or enhance the refresh price, though its DisplayPort provides you a extra direct hyperlink to suitable screens, the place the plain TS5 would possibly require an adapter except the show additionally gives USB-C as a connection.
When you desire the flexibleness of three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports in comparison with the TS5 Plus’s two TB5 and one DisplayPort, the plain TS5 could win you over.
Learn our CalDigit TS5 Plus assessment for extra particulars.
Simon Jary
Value
CalDigit’s TS5 Plus has extra ports and at the next spec than another docking station and instructions a premium $499.99 value consequently. The cut-down however nonetheless spectacular plain TS5 is available in at a extra inexpensive $399.99 value level. See Amazon for its newest costs on every of the CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 docks. Within the U.Okay. the TS5 prices £399.99, and it’s priced at €385,85 in Europe.
Compared, the Sonnet Echo 13 Dock (with built-in 1TB SSD) prices from $439 though is normally discovered on-line at round $370. The OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock is cheaper at $329, however the very best worth Thunderbolt 5 dock is the $299 Plugable Thunderbolt 5 Dock that carries the identical 4 TB5 ports, three USB-A, 2.5GbE, UHS-II card readers, audio jack, and a 180W energy provide, so could be all you want. It can also both stand vertical or lie horizontally.
Another choice is you are able to do with out the Ethernet port and card readers is CalDigit’s Aspect 5 Thunderbolt 5 Hub ($299) that boasts as many TB5 ports because the TS5, yet another USB-A and one fewer USB-C port.
Learn all our evaluations of the finest Thunderbolt docks for Mac for extra comparisons, however you’ll be able to relaxation assured that the CalDigit TS5 ranks very extremely for all the explanations given on this assessment.
Must you purchase an CalDigit TS5 dock?
If the mighty CalDigit TS5 Plus is just too costly and/or has extra ports than you actually need, the TS5 Thunderbolt 5 docking station brings a high-power, top-notch set of ports in a kind you’ll be able to belief to maintain up with the most recent units you would possibly wish to hook up with your MacBook.
